48 - Grave Sins

"The First Hokage's grave... it's been desecrated." the jonin said again. "The only ones capable of this would be someone from Konoha."

The report from the jonin sent everyone's mind spinning. And it wasn't hard to guess why.

However, everyone reacted differently to this news.

"Impossible..." Minato whispered as he and Hiruzen stood utterly shocked.

Minato, in particular, found it absurd. He had anticipated that this mission might reveal some unsavory truths, but… It involved the First Hokage himself?

Danzō's eyes narrowed as he glanced between the reporting jonin and Minato. If Orochimaru loses control now, everything falls apart.

The Sannin were also taken aback.

Well, only Jiraiya was truly shocked, his face twisted in disbelief.

Orochimaru remained emotionless, already preparing to use his Orochimaru-Style Body Substitution Jutsu, his fingers twitching ever so slightly.

Tsunade was frozen in disbelief. So the experiments never stopped. Even after everything...

After Tobirama's leftover cells were used up, the Senju clan had abandoned it.

A chill ran from her feet all the way to her head.

The disbandment of the Senju clan was partially tied to the Wood Release experiment, which had directly led to their decision to dissolve their clan identity and integrate into the broader ninja community.

Hiruzen and the others knew this but still restarted the experiment. And now, they'd even violated the First Hokage's coffin. They had been students personally trained by Hashirama and Tobirama!

What a joke.

In the face of the power of Wood Release, the bond between master and disciple meant nothing.

If this was how Hashirama was treated, what hope did she have?

At that moment, Tsunade wasn't even angry anymore. Her fury, her sorrow—she had exhausted all of it.

She was tired. She made a decision: she would leave this place.

Far, far away.

It was at that moment that a loud shout erupted from the scene.

"Orochimaru! What are you doing?" The Uchiha jonin's voice rang out.

Due to their previous standoff with the ANBU, all the Uchiha present had their Sharingan activated and immediately noticed Orochimaru's suspicious movements.

Though Orochimaru-Style Body Substitution differed from the standard substitution technique, it shared one key trait: it was a jutsu.

And as a jutsu, it emitted chakra, making it impossible to escape the detection of high-tier Sharingan under normal conditions.

Among the gathered Uchiha, there were multiple wielders of three-tomoe Sharingan. Everyone's gaze snapped toward Orochimaru.

The figure standing in Orochimaru's place shriveled under a gust of wind, revealing its true nature.

"There!" shouted the Uchiha, lightning crackling between their fingers as they leaped toward different spots on the ground. "He's trying to escape through the ground!"

Their actions instantly triggered the already high-strung ANBU. On instinct, a few ANBU holding shuriken threw them toward the Uchiha group.

In that instant, two thoughts ran through everyone's mind:

Orochimaru had gone insane and was doomed.

Where on earth did Hiruzen find these clowns and recruit them into the ANBU?

However, the shuriken never reached the Uchiha.

Masashi raised a hand, unleashing a wind jutsu that diverted the weapons, then pointed at the ANBU.

"They're in on it! Don't let them escape!" Whether or not the accusation was true, this was the perfect time to pin it on them.

Even if it meant killing someone right in front of Hiruzen, he wouldn't dare interfere. After all, he'd lose decades of his leadership credibility if he did.

Sure enough, neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade moved a muscle. Even those accused ANBU, though tense, didn't dare make a move either.

Soon, the Uchiha swarmed them, tying them up securely.

For the ANBU, this was the first time they had ever been so openly subdued by the Uchiha, but none of them dared resist.

Meanwhile, the other ninja clans sprang into action.

"The Byakugan sees all deception today," the Hyūga leader declared as they activated their bloodline limit.

The Aburame released their insects in coordinated swarms, while the Inuzuka ninken's growls filled the air with menace.

Just like during the Nine-Tails' attack, these three clans once again sided with the Uchiha.

Not that they had much choice.

"This situation requires... careful consideration," a Nara representative muttered as their clan, along with the Yamanaka and Akimichi, encircled the remaining ANBU instead, signaling their stance.

As for the Sarutobi clan, they rallied around Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade.

Danzō, meanwhile, stood alone, flanked by only a few Root ninjas. Orochimaru, you fool. You've damned us both! He silently cursed Orochimaru for dragging him into this mess.

"Hokage-sama, the laboratory was operated by Root. When we attempted to search it, Root ninjas attacked us!" added the reporting jonin. "Danzō-sama, care to explain?"

The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi ninjas exchanged glances and, without a word, shifted their attention to surround Danzō and his Root ninjas. They couldn't help but think he was doing them a favor.

"What is there to explain?" Danzō replied coldly, glaring at those around him. "I was trained by Tobirama-sama. In all my years, I've never done anything to betray Konoha. And you should know his."

"Danzō-sama, care to explain?" repeated the jonin.

Ignoring him, Danzō turned to Minato. "Is this an attempt to frame me?"

At this point, he could only hope Orochimaru escaped.

But the odds were slim.

With two Flying Thunder God users, countless Sharingan and Byakugan wielders, and even sensory ninjas on site, where could Orochimaru possibly run?

Through sheer willpower?

If he managed to escape, Konoha might as well give up on being a major ninja village.

"Please calm down," Minato said, his focus remaining on the ninja closing in on Orochimaru.

The Snake Sannin couldn't escape, and Minato made sure of that.

The illustrious reputation of the Sannin, the heroes who saved Konoha during the Third Great Ninja War, would no longer include Orochimaru.

All because he crossed an unthinkable line.

Boom!

With a thunderous noise that shook the earth itself, an entire section of ground was forced apart.

Manda emerged, carrying Orochimaru on its back.

Despite the precise lightning strikes from several Uchiha jonin, which thwarted his attempt to escape underground, Orochimaru had no choice but to reveal himself.

Surrounding him on all sides were Konoha ninjas from various clans—over a hundred in total, including nearly twenty jonin.

Faced with the towering Manda, none of them flinched.

Witnessing the scene, Masashi teleported onto the battlefield using Flying Thunder God and summoned his own massive creature.

With another deafening roar, the black snake from before reappeared.

Not to be outdone, Minato joined in, summoning a massive toad that matched Manda in size.

"Orochimaru, surrender peacefully," he offered, granting him one last shred of dignity. "Don't forget—you're one of the Sannin."

"There's nothing more to say," Orochimaru replied coldly, his snake-like eyes narrowing. "If you want to stop me, blood will be spilled."

"It'll only be your blood," Masashi said. "Come clean, and you might have a chance to rot in prison."

He made it clear: aside from the Konoha Prison, Orochimaru wouldn't be going anywhere today.

With Minato and Masashi entering the fray alongside their giant summons, the crowd stepped back.

"Step back, all of you!" A veteran jonin commanded. "Those beasts could level the entire area!"

The power of such summoning beasts was undeniable—they were weapons of mass destruction on the battlefield.

The giant snakes of Ryūchi Cave were known for their incredible physical strength, shrugging off ordinary ninjutsu, and their lightning-fast movements made them unparalleled in battlefield assaults.

The toads of Mount Myōboku couldn't quite match this, but once they started jumping, they were just as terrifying. Gravity was their ally, and a single body slam could crush dozens to death.

Faced with such foes, Konoha's enemies often preferred to be trampled by a snake rather than suffer the indignity of being squashed by a toad—it was a matter of pride, after all.

When Masashi had previously summoned a giant snake, the crowd had already been shocked. But now, with two giant snakes and a hefty toad all on the field, they knew they needed to make space.

In a flash, before the crowd could even react, Masashi commanded Kuro to attack Manda.

The mere movement of this massive summoning beast kicked up a storm of flying dust and rocks. Trees snapped like twigs under the colossal serpents' weight.

On the battlefield, the two snakes twisted into an elaborate knot. Manda squinted, and it wasn't clear whether the snake felt pain or… something else.

A sly smile spread across Orochimaru's face as he prepared another Striking Shadow Snakes. This time, he exerted tighter control, with no room for missteps.

The snake horde surged forward.

Always the showman, Masashi thought as he watched the approaching wave of serpents.

Orochimaru's battle tactics always revolved around probing, trapping, substitution, and sneak attacks. With the regenerative abilities and chakra reserves granted by Ryūchi Cave, he fought with calm precision.

The Striking Shadow Snakes was one of his key capture moves, concealing within it the threat of surprise attacks and venomous strikes.

But as a fellow inheritor of Ryūchi Cave's power, Masashi had a natural resistance to Orochimaru's snake-style jutsu. After all, he was the one who had truly mastered Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode.

As the snakes lunged, he remained unfazed. He swiftly formed a seal. If diplomacy fails, send them home.

"Summoning Technique: Release!"

Both giant snakes vanished at once, and the bound Manda was sent home along with Kuro.

"Well played, Masashi," Minato called from his position.

Floating in midair, Masashi's face bore the Sage Mode markings. Clad in his Sage armor, which covered him from head to toe—including a faceplate—he wielded chakra-shaped blades.

With a casual slash, the Striking Shadow Snakes turned into "Striking Shadow Snakes Snacks."

Some snakes managed to reach him, but their venomous fangs couldn't pierce the sage armor's defenses. In contrast, with a mere thought, spikes emerged from the armor, swiftly skewering the attacking snakes. Blood and scales rained down as the serpents were dispatched.

This defense was as formidable as the Shikotsumyaku of the Kaguya clan.

The two combatants landed simultaneously.

Orochimaru scanned the surroundings, realizing all eyes were on him—especially Minato, standing atop a toad.

He was well aware of the challenges posed by Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode. This recent exchange further confirmed that with Masashi present, his usual snake-style jutsu would be ineffective.

Revealing more of his techniques would only put him at a strategic disadvantage. Perhaps it's time for a tactical retreat, his eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed his options.

It was his incomplete understanding of Masashi that had led him to make a rash appearance for Anko, only to be outmaneuvered by the Uchiha and give Minato a chance to exploit the situation.

He had underestimated both of them.

"It seems I have no choice but to surrender," Orochimaru said, glancing at the elevated platform and assessing the situation with clarity. "Minato, your ambitions are impressive."

"Such decisiveness matches your reputation as the Yellow Flash."

He loathed inefficiency, preferring swift, decisive action. Even Masashi had earned his approval for his quick reflexes and decisive moves.

Being a bit sly was no problem; after all, trash talk was a weapon too.

"If possible, I would rather not fight a former comrade," Minato said from atop the toad, looking down at Orochimaru with regret. "And regarding your desecration of the First Hokage's remains, please cooperate fully in the investigation."

"No problem. Should I be cuffed?" Orochimaru nonchalantly extended his hands.

As for the investigation, it was irrelevant to him. The Konoha interrogation squad was full of mediocrities who would likely be too intimidated to even meet his gaze.

The so-called investigation would probably just involve Jiraiya clumsily questioning him about his motives.

As for Tsunade… no need to overthink. He would be gone soon anyway.

Hiruren? Orochimaru knew his teacher too well.

And then there was Danzō.

It wouldn't hurt to enjoy a little show before leaving.

"That won't be necessary," Minato said as he leapt off the toad and dispelled the summoning. "As one of the Sannin, you deserve proper respect."

"Respect, huh? A bit old-fashioned, but whatever." Orochimaru lowered his hands.

"Apologies for this." Even now, Minato maintained Orochimaru's dignity. With a single palm strike, he placed intricate sealing marks on the Sannin's body, suppressing his chakra.

Afterwards, he handed Orochimaru over to the waiting Konoha shinobi.

The jonin carefully restrained Orochimaru, treating him as if he were a ticking time bomb.

"No, no, your grip should be tighter here," Orochimaru commented, gesturing with his chin. "And that seal pattern would be more effective if you adjusted the flow points."

Orochimaru, however, seemed amused. He continued critiquing their technique, explaining how they could secure him more effectively.

To be fair, when it came to this sort of thing, he was indeed Konoha's top expert.

The more professional he seemed, the more unnerved the jonin became. 

Meanwhile, Minato turned to Masashi.

"Shall we head to the Third Hokage?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama." Masashi agreed readily.

How could he not go? He had to. He was curious to see what cards Danzō had left to play.

Back in his first life, he might have harbored bonds of camaraderie, but in this second life, such sentiments were meaningless. People had changed, and so had the bonds. The past was just that—past.

To make Konoha dominant, Danzō and his faction wouldn't hesitate to desecrate the grave of Hashirama himself.

Masashi was convinced that Danzō's actions came from a place of reverence for Hashirama. Strange as it sounded, it was true. Just like how a child might break their favorite toy trying to see how it works.

Similarly, he would have no hesitation in eliminating Danzō if necessary.

This applied to Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu as well. Even Minato and Kushina—if they became enemies, there would be no choice but to remove them, by any means necessary.

Everyone would die eventually. If he was strong enough, he'd kill the threats outright. If not, he'd find other means. The Warring States Period had taught him this much.

Unlike the idealists who claimed to love all of humanity, Masashi was more honest with himself. He didn't love the world. He loved beauty. And food.

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